Illini take another step back with loss to Wisconsin

As Illinois heads deeper into Big Ten Conference play, it gets easier to realize just how special last season was.

John Supinie

As Illinois heads deeper into Big Ten Conference play, it gets easier to realize just how special last season was.

A team that's taken one step back for every one forward, Illinois sputtered at Wisconsin on Saturday. The Badgers ended a four-game losing streak by handing the Illini a 27-17 defeat before a crowd of 81,241 at Camp Randall Stadium.

Illinois quarterback Juice Williams, the Big Ten Conference's total yardage leader, threw three interceptions, suffering through his worst game of a season filled with career days. Meanwhile, the Illini defense watched a solid performance come apart by allowing big plays in the second half to an offense on life support.

"We're a lot better as a team'' than a year ago, said Illinois receiver Arrelious Benn. "We had a lot of seniors (last year) and guys here before. We just have to find our way right now. We're a young team. We have to know how to win every game, finish and play the season.''

Frustration bubbled out of the Illinois locker room. Coach Ron Zook said he would hold the Illini accountable. Williams declined to meet with the media, and middle linebacker Brit Miller was "embarrassed'' after Illinois fell to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten. The Illini host Iowa on Saturday (2:30 p.m., ABC).

"The young guys are going to make mistakes,'' Zook said. "I'm tired of seeing older guys make them. We're going to look at that real close and see if we have to make some changes.

"I'm as upset as you. This football team has a chance to be a good football team. They're going to be held accountable, particularly the older guys. It's not the way it was before we got here. If Illinois wants to be the kind of program we have to be, we have to bow up.''

In other words, the Illini must get tough. For the second straight season, Illinois went on the road and lost to a team with a four-game losing skid (remember the loss at Iowa last year). This missed opportunity makes it harder to earn a back-to-back bowl berths for the first time in 16 years and post consecutive winning seasons for the first time in 18 years.

"If we're going to be a winning team and beat this curse of us not having two winning seasons in a row, we've got to just be smart,” Miller said. If we do our jobs, then we win. Coach Zook preaches that every week.''

Williams threw more interceptions against the Badgers than his previous four Big Ten games (two). He passed for 221 yards and two touchdowns, but the Illini were only able to gain 88 yards on the ground. The Badgers loaded up to stop the run and dared the Illini to beat them with Williams' arm.

Illinois' 309 total yards were a season low after the Illini posted more than 500 yards in each of the last three games.

"We'll go as the quarterback goes,'' offensive coordinator Mike Locksley said. "He's the guy in our offense. Early on, he threw three picks. He didn't work himself out of it. That's on me as a coach to help him fight through the negative things, have him play a full game like he's done the last three weeks.

"Obviously, we're down that he didn't play well today. Anytime you throw three picks, that's not a good day as a quarterback.''

Williams' first interception came when his lob went over the head of wide receiver Fred Sykes and into the hands of Wisconsin's Chris Maragos at the Wisconsin 18-yard line on Illinois' first possession. The second interception came when Sykes gave up on a deep ball. The third came when Sykes beat his man but Williams threw behind him at the Wisconsin 17 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Illinois scored on its first possession of the second half for a 17-10 lead, a 70-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to freshman receiver A.J. Jenkins. Illinois never again penetrated Wisconsin's red zone.

Illinois' offense had seven penalties for 40 yards -- one hold, one illegal shift, two illegal formations and three false starts.

Like the offense, the defense couldn't come up with the key play. Miller made 16 tackles and one sack, but he was out of position on a 45-yard play-action pass to tight end Garrett Graham that set up a touchdown and a 27-17 lead with 3 minutes 48 seconds left.

"There were times when we played brilliantly, then late in the fourth quarter they put together an 80-yard drive on us,'' Miller said. "That one hurt. I bit on a play-action pass. They get a big pass over my head. That's one you wish you had back.''

Wisconsin (4-4, 1-4) hadn't lost four straight since 1996.

"It's a game on our schedule we needed to win,'' Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "I don't know if there's any more importance to a win at any time. They're all great wins, and you've got to relish in it and enjoy it.''

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com.

Illinois report card

Offense: D

On his worst day in a season filled with career games, quarterback Juice Williams threw three interceptions and could never get rolling as a runner. The Illini had only 88 yards rushing, and penalties kept the Illini behind the chains. Expect the coaches to take a hard look at left tackle, where Xavier Fulton struggled.

Defense: C-

The Illini kept the offense in the game, until a back-breaker in the fourth quarter. The 45-yard pass over middle linebacker Brit Miller's head set up a touchdown that gave the Badgers a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter. Like the offense, the Illini defenders looked good, then couldn't make the big play at key times.

Special teams: B

Arrelious Benn returned a kickoff 63 yards to set up one scoring chance, and punter Anthony Santella averaged 42.4 yards and had one downed at the Wisconsin 1. Matt Eller also converted a 47-yard field goal into the wind.

Overall: D

Going against a team on a four-game losing streak with an offense sputtering behind a quarterback making his second start, Illinois missed on a chance to take a big step toward bowl eligibility. Illinois may need three wins in the next four games to clinch a bowl berth. That doesn't leave much room for error for a team that's been hit-and-miss.

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